12 Years a Slave is, without a doubt, the most moving cinema experience I have ever had. The movie was nearly impossible to watch, I guess because the truth is hard to swallow. The horror of slavery has never been made so real to me. Lupita Nyong'o has earned and deserves each and every award that will come her way. Oscar included.
I live in a southern state and have been on tours of rice fields where the tour guide said something like "the slaves worked hard and on Sunday cooked their food and sang songs preparing for the coming week". I didn't believe it then and I don't believe it now.
BTW: I took a tour of a real rice field one May day. It was so hot that two people had to be removed after less than twenty minutes. MAY!!!